World Track Championships - CM

Copenhagen, Denmark, September 25 - 29, 2002

Women's 3000m Individual Pursuit

Van Moorsel wins second 3000m World Title

The reigning Olympic queen and defending World Champion Leontien Zijlaard-van
Moorsel was successful in her title defence on Friday evening in the Siemens
Arena, beating Russia's Olga Slioussareva by nearly two seconds in a close,
but comfortable final. Van Moorsel was 2.5 seconds slower than her qualifying
time to clock 3'34.330, but it was more than enough to beat Slioussareva's 3'36.188.
Van Moorsel was ahead by the first kilometre, and continued to increase her
lead over final 2000m.

"If I don't get nervous and feel nothing then something is wrong but tonight
I was scared to go too hard in the early part because I had diarrhoea," Zijlaard
explained. But it would take more than an upset stomach to stop her from winning
after a career which has seen her fight back from debilitating anorexia in the
mid nineties.

The battle for the bronze went to Australia's Kate Bates, who also qualified
in third place. Bates beat Britain's Emma Davies with a time of 3'36.289 compared
to Davies' 3'42.335.

"Six months ago, in fact the day before I rode in the pursuit at the Commonwealth
Games I was hoping for a personal best but not a placing," said Bates who took
silver there behind New Zealand's Sarah Ulmer but went on to win gold in the
points race. "But when I got here I really wanted a medal and now I'm only two
tenths of a second off the silver medallist (33 year old Olga Slioussareva of
Russia) and I'm only 20."

"Anybody I come up against is just competition and I think I can get into a
final against her [Zijlaard-Van Moorsel] at the Athens Olympics," said Bates
who at 20 years old has a lot of improving ahead of her whilst she believes
her rivals are already at their best."